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196 LITTLE LORD FAUNTLEROY. “Yes,” he said, "I could swear to him, too. Tom,” he said to the little fellow, "I "m your father; I ve come to take you away. Where ’s your hat?” The boy pointed to where it lay on a chair. It evidently rather pleased him to hear that he was going away. He had been so accustomed to queer experiences that it did not surprise him to be told by a stranger that he was his father. He objected so much to the woman who had come a few months before to the place where he had lived since his babyhood, and who had suddenly announced that she was his mother, that he was quite ready for a change. Ben took up the hat and marched to the door. “Tf you want me again,” he said to Mr. Havisham, "you know where to find me." He walked out of the room, holding the child’s hand and not looking at the woman once. She was fairly raving with fury, and the Earl was calmly gazing at her through his eyeglasses, which he had quietly placed upon his aristocratic, eagle nose. ‘Come, come, my young woman, said Mr. Havisham. ‘ This wont do at all. If you dont want to be locked up, you really must behave yourself.” And there was something so very business-like in his tones that, probably feeling that the safest thing she could do would be to get out of the way, she gave him one savage look and dashed past him into the next room and slammed the door. ‘‘We shall have no more trouble with her,” said Mr. Havisham. And he was right; for that very night she left the Dorincourt Arms and took the train to London, and was seen no more. % * % % * % % * When the Earl left the room after the interview, he went at once to his carriage. “To Court Lodge,” he said to Thomas.
